


And Things They Change

by Carmenlire



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Alec will be a fashion gay, Bisexual Isabelle Lightwood, Clizzy - Freeform, Established Relationship, Fluff, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Pride, Supportive Isabelle Lightwood, Supportive Magnus Bane, sh summer prompts, soft boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-20 06:03:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14889017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmenlire/pseuds/Carmenlire
Summary: Alec is just thinking about how much he loves his job, bureaucratic headaches notwithstanding, when he abruptly stops in his tracks.There, on the corner of his desk, is a little rainbow colored flag in a black coffee mug. It's just one thing among a dozen pencils, pens, and assorted markers, but Alec's gaze is glued to it.Izzy surprises Alec and Alec reflects on the past year.SH Creators Summer Prompts: Pride Event





	And Things They Change

Alec strides into his office, suit jacket flaring out behind him. It’s June 1st and even though it’ll be hot as hades in a few hours, he couldn’t resist pairing his staid black slacks and white t-shirt with a salmon toned blazer. He takes a sip of his iced caramel macchiato and then another because it’s just so good. Glancing at the clock, he sees 7:58 am glaring back at him and sighs a little, reluctant smile gracing his mouth.

Another day of of making sure his little corner of the Shadow World doesn’t implode.

Alec loves being Head of the Institute. It’s a little surprising just how much he enjoys it-- sure it’s an endless cycle of headaches and bureaucratic bullshit, but he can’t deny that it lights a fire in his blood. The political maneuvering, finely honed organizational skills, and sheer responsibility keeps him on his toes in a way that being a mere foot soldier never allowed.

He’d been groomed to lead since infancy but he never thought he’d get such a thrill out of it. Really, he just figured he’d fuck around, make sure he didn’t mess up too terribly and destroy the family name, and quietly retire when the time came to hand it off to his own progeny. 

Alec is just reflecting on how much he loves his job, bullshit notwithstanding, when he abruptly stops in his tracks.

There, on the corner of his desk, is a rainbow colored flag in a little black coffee mug. It's just one thing among a dozen pencils, pens, and assorted markers, but Alec's gaze is glued to it. 

Alec knows about Pride. He knows different orientations and identities have different flags. He’s seen the Pride parades in New York, albeit from a distance.

Always from a distance.

Just a year ago, Alec was firmly in the closet with no plans to come out _ever_. The last year has been a whirlwind between one thing and another and Alec’s brain feels like it’s short-circuited as he keeps staring at the innocuous, cheery little flag adorning his desk.

Shadowhunters know a bit more about mundane culture than they like to let on. Izzy is a staunch Netflix binge watcher and most shadowhunters are on some social media platform. Alec’s always been more conservative than most, but he’s aware of the importance of June in the community-- in _his_ community.

He’s always carefully avoided any mention of anything non-straight for so long, though, that he doesn’t know how to reconcile what he’s seeing. For so long, he was so afraid of being too obvious about anything that he studiously ignored any and all references to Pride. Now that it’s staring him in the face, he’s forced to think about just how much things have changed since Magnus came crashing into his life.

Alec doesn’t know how long he’s been standing stock still in the middle of his office, condensation from his Starbucks cup dripping onto the floor, when he’s jolted out of his reverie by a quiet knock on his open door.

Spinning around, Alec sees Izzy leaning against the door jamb, arms folded with a little smile on her face. He doesn’t know where the hell she found it, but she’s wearing a tight off-the-shoulder striped dress with the colors of the bisexual flag. It’s only eight in the morning, but she looks like a million bucks.

Isabelle looks Alec over and sees his wide eyes and flushed cheeks, like he’s a child who’s been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. She shakes her head a little, rueful, at just how far her brother’s come. He’s wearing one of his more formal outfits today-- he must have a few meetings on his agenda-- with a suit jacket in a flattering shade of _pink_. Tickled, she raises a brow and breaks the silence.

“So, hermano, notice anything different about your office this morning,” she drawls.

Alec shrugs, nonplussed. Surging into motion, he turns around and walks behind his desk, setting his coffee down before sliding his jacket off, hanging it over the back of his chair. He pulls his sunglasses out from where they were hanging in his open shirt front and tosses them into a drawer.

He’s studiously avoids looking at the flag.

Tired of beating around the bush, Izzy speaks again.

“You really needed some color to liven this room up. Something to make all this dark wood pop, wouldn’t you say?”

Staring at the mountain of paperwork that’s somehow accumulated during the twelve hours he was away, Alec’s shoulders slump. He doesn’t know why he’s having trouble acknowledging the damn flag. He knows it’s there, Izzy knows it’s there, he knows Izzy knows he knows, so why can’t he just address what she’s so obviously wants to talk about.

The words seem caught in his throat, though.

Seeing him struggle, Izzy’s expression softens. She straightens from where she was leaning on the door and walks over to the desk, sitting on the edge. She gives Alec a brief moment of reprieve, taking time to pull her skirt down and adjust her dress before looking up and meeting his eyes.

“Happy Pride, big brother,” she says quietly.

With that little sentence, Alec feels like he can breathe again. He feels like he’s found his equilibrium. He smiles at Izzy.

“Happy Pride, little sister.”

There’s a beat of silence, both of them just grinning, before Alec’s eyes catch on the flag. The rainbow stands out-- Iz is right about that-- the cheerful little thing the only real pop of color in the room. It’s immediately noticeable.

Just a few, short months ago, Alec wouldn’t have been able to have such a symbol in his office. He would have worried that it was too much, too loud, and he would have thrown it in the trash without delay-- or maybe, taken it to the loft because Alec’s always been more sentimental than he lets on.

Given his knee-jerk reaction, those days aren’t so far behind. The difference now is that after a minute-- or fifteen-- of uncertainty and anxiety, he can acknowledge that he likes it there. While colorful and eye-catching, it’s not as if he’s hung a twelve foot banner on the wall. It’s a sweet gesture from Izzy-- there’s no doubt where it came from. It's subtle enough that most people probably won't notice it at first glance, but, still. It's there. For anyone-- from his mother to Clave officials to his subordinates-- to see in all its glory.

Alec stands up and comes around the desk, folding Izzy into one of his patented big brother hugs as she stands up, too. He lifts her a little, enough so that her feet can’t touch the floor, and she squeals, laughingly demanding to be put down.

He complies after a moment, making sure to pull her hair just the tiniest bit in a move he knows irritates her. She swats his hand away, mock glaring at him, and they both laugh.

They might not be kids anymore, but Alec still loves teasing her.

Things go quiet, Alec going serious. “Thank you, Iz,” he says.

Smiling, Izzy replies, “Of course, Alec. This is your first pride out! I couldn’t resist picking up this little thing--” she says, gesturing to the flag in its cup holder, “-- when I was shopping. I picked up one for me and Clary, too. Mine is sitting at my weapons repair table.”

Alec shakes his head, thinking that no one could have foreseen where they’d be a year ago. Alec, in love and living with the High Warlock of Brooklyn, and Isabelle in a relatively new relationship with Clary, who’d come to terms with the fact that she was a lesbian just six months ago and had broken up with Jace without delay once she’d realized that it was Isabelle who set her heart aflame. It’s been an eventful twelve months but Alec wouldn’t change any of it.

Izzy stays for a few minutes and they talk about their day's agendas. Isabelle is planning to spend the day in the lab and her and Clary have a date planned for later tonight. 

Alec, for his part, has a foot of paperwork to sign off on and four meetings that will run late into the day. He’ll be lucky if he sees Magnus at all and will most likely fall into their bed with Magnus already drooling sometime after midnight. While not his favorite way to end a day, there’s an undeniable charm in climbing into bed when his boyfriend is already there, warming the sheets and sleepily curling around him as soon as Alec settles.

The morning is uneventful enough, with Alec plowing through the endless pile of reports. He meets with a few of his shadowhunters, by turns praising or chastising depending on the reason for their visit, and eats half of a painfully bland sandwich for lunch. No one mentions the new decor addition, but Alec does catch lingering looks towards the cup.

He makes it through two conference calls with the Clave and other Heads that are dull and, in his opinion, dreadfully unnecessary, before he needs another hit of caffeine to make it through the second half of his shift.

He’s just returning from the kitchen, steaming coffee mug halfway to his lips, when he sees his favorite person walking towards him.

His smile is automatic as he greets Magnus.

“Hey, babe, I wasn’t expecting you.”

Alec leans down just as he reaches Magnus and gives him a quick peck on the lips.

Magnus is smiling his special Alec smile as he wraps an arm around his waist.

“Well, darling, I had a bigger break than anticipated before I need to head to Seattle and thought I’d pop in since we probably won’t talk again for the rest of the day.”

Grinning, Alec simply replies, “It’s not like I’m complaining.”

He offers his cup to Magnus and Magnus accepts it without thinking, contentedly humming as he takes a lingering sip. It’s strong as seven devils and the punch of caffeine is sorely needed. Today’s been trying in the extreme and Magnus feels himself relaxing just by being around Alec.

Walking into Alec’s office, Magnus raises a brow before turning to look at his boyfriend.

“Well, darling, this is certainly a surprise,” he says, nodding towards the pride flag.

Alec hums, taking his coffee back, and just shrugs as he guides them over to the low-slung couch in the corner. His voice is dry as he responds.

“Well, babe, I am gay and it is June. To be expected, I suppose.”

Raising a brow at Alec’s flippant tone, Magnus tilts his head a little, eyeing Alec like he’s just become the most interesting puzzle. He matches Alec’s tone.

“Of course, Alexander, what was I thinking? I really should have expected you to flaunt your sexuality so blatantly in a place that’s always been so accepting.”

Alec huffs out a laugh as they sit down. There are a few moments of silence as they lean into each other, taking a minute to decompress and breathe for the first time all day. Alec and Magnus are in love, all the world can see that, but they prefer to keep the specifics to themselves. They aren’t very demonstrative in public, but that makes these private moments all the sweeter.

Alec’s arm is around Magnus’s shoulders, Magnus’s leg thrown over Alec’s. They’re almost on top of each other on the couch and both are content.

Alec spends the time thinking about the past year. While Magnus had been the catalyst for his change, ultimately it was Alec who had taken his life by the horns and set it on the track he wanted. He was more comfortable with himself, more confident, than he'd ever been and a large part of it was due to coming out. He didn't hunch his shoulders and try his best to fade into the background anymore. He was Alec Lightwood, completely and unashamed-- Head of the Institute, growing fashion connoisseur, so god damn in love with Magnus Bane that he couldn't think straight. It felt good to realize his potential and Alec looked forward to the coming days and years and what they would bring.

Eventually, Alec breaks the silence.

“Izzy placed it in my office this morning before I got here,” he starts. “I stopped dead when I first saw it. It took me a minute-- a little longer than a minute-- to take it in. It was a little bit of a shock. Last June, I wasn’t even out. It feels a little weird to have such an obvious symbol, especially in my office, but. . . I like it. It’s cute, small, and it cheers me up.”

Magnus relaxes even further into Alec’s side and looks up at him, smiling softly.

“Then, I think it’s perfect, darling. I’m proud of you, for saying the words and being able to flaunt it a little, especially in a place that hasn’t been the most hospitable to you. You never cease to amaze me.”

Alec returns his smile and they take turns drinking until the coffee’s gone.

Alec lays his head on top of Magnus’s and sighs, content in the light that’s just starting to wane. He only has a few more minutes until his next meeting, this time in Idris, and he spends them gathering his strength to deal with bigoted assholes and bureaucratic red tape that’s nothing but a headache.

Magnus lets out a small sound of dismay as Alec no doubt messes his hair up but doesn’t move away, just as happy to steal a few more minutes from their constantly hectic lives.

Before the sun dips any lower, Magnus leaves with a lingering kiss, opening a portal and looking dashing while doing so. Alec heaves himself up and places the empty mug on the drink cart before walking over to his chair and shrugging into his blazer. He takes his tablet and a folder full of notes and heads to the command center where a portal to Alicante should be waiting.

At the door, he looks back one last time to make sure he’s gathered everything he needs and smiles at the colorful flag sitting unobtrusively on the corner of his desk.

He’s still smiling as he turns off the lights and strides down the corridor, confident and relaxed, ready to kick some Clave ass.

**Author's Note:**

> Catch me on tumblr @carmenlire


End file.
